Magic Bars are...well...Magic! Some call them 7 Layer Bars or Hello Dollys, but I grew up calling them Magic Bars. You will need a prepared recipe of Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk (see previous post) for this recipe.
1/2 c shortening, coconut oil, or ghee
2 c safe graham cracker crumbs
Flaked coconut
Safe semi sweet chocolate chips
Chopped nuts of choice
anything else your heart desires as toppings...
1 recipe Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Add shortening to a 9x13 pan, and put in the oven to melt the shortening. Remove pan from oven and swirl melted shortening to distribute evenly in the pan. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs evenly over the melted shortening and press lightly to form a crust. Add a handful or two each of flaked coconut, safe chocolate chips, chopped nuts, chopped MSPI safe candy bars, dried fruit, whatever you like. Just distribute toppings evenly over the crust. Pour the sweetened condensed coconut milk evenly over the top of everything, making sure to coat the top as much as possible (paying attention to the edges too). Bake for about 30 minutes or so, until the edges are golden brown and bubbly and the top is light brown. Remove from oven and cool completely before cutting into bars. They will fall apart if you cut them when hot.
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Sweetened Condensed Milk
There are so many times you go to make a dessert and need sweetened condensed milk... I used to use it quite a bit. So...here's a safe version!!!
Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk
1 (14 oz) can coconut milk (full-fat)
1/2 c granulated sugar
In a medium pot, bring the coconut milk to a boil, stirring frequently. Watch closely, because once it starts to boil, it will boil over in a heartbeat. Turn heat down so the coconut milk is simmering and stir in the sugar, whisking until it's completely dissolved. Allow to simmer for 30-45 minutes, until the volume is reduced by half. Remove from heat and cool completely before using in recipes. Store in fridge in a covered container. It should last a week or more.
Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk
1 (14 oz) can coconut milk (full-fat)
1/2 c granulated sugar
In a medium pot, bring the coconut milk to a boil, stirring frequently. Watch closely, because once it starts to boil, it will boil over in a heartbeat. Turn heat down so the coconut milk is simmering and stir in the sugar, whisking until it's completely dissolved. Allow to simmer for 30-45 minutes, until the volume is reduced by half. Remove from heat and cool completely before using in recipes. Store in fridge in a covered container. It should last a week or more.
Grandma Tolman
There is a dish we refer to as "Grandma Tolman". No, we do not cook and eat our Grandma Tolman, rather it is a dish she frequently made, and therefore the dish was dubbed Grandma Tolman. It's a cross between fried potatoes and potato soup.
Grandma Tolman
1/4 lb bacon, cut in pieces (I usually use a little more bacon than this...shhhh don't tell!)
1 or 2 onions, thinly sliced
2 or 3 lbs potatoes, thinly sliced
Water
Salt & Pepper
In a heavy bottomed pot, cook bacon on medium to medium high heat, until bacon is crisp. Remove bacon (set aside) but leave grease in the pot. To the hot grease, add alternating layers of potatoes and onions, filling up the pot as much as you wish (easy to make a lot or a little of this dish!). Cook on medium high for several minutes before stirring...you want the potatoes and onions on the bottom to brown a bit. Stir it up and then let sit again to brown the new layer on the bottom. After you've browned a few "layers" of potatoes, add water to the pot to just barely, barely cover the potatoes. Cover pot and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, until potatoes and onions are tender. Season with salt and pepper, and add bacon back to the pot.
Grandma Tolman
1/4 lb bacon, cut in pieces (I usually use a little more bacon than this...shhhh don't tell!)
1 or 2 onions, thinly sliced
2 or 3 lbs potatoes, thinly sliced
Water
Salt & Pepper
In a heavy bottomed pot, cook bacon on medium to medium high heat, until bacon is crisp. Remove bacon (set aside) but leave grease in the pot. To the hot grease, add alternating layers of potatoes and onions, filling up the pot as much as you wish (easy to make a lot or a little of this dish!). Cook on medium high for several minutes before stirring...you want the potatoes and onions on the bottom to brown a bit. Stir it up and then let sit again to brown the new layer on the bottom. After you've browned a few "layers" of potatoes, add water to the pot to just barely, barely cover the potatoes. Cover pot and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, until potatoes and onions are tender. Season with salt and pepper, and add bacon back to the pot.
I didn't fall off the edge of the earth...
OK...Starting this up again. :) Getting ready to go into the hospital for awhile to take care of a pressure sore I have, so I want to get a few more recipes up on the blog for family to have while I'm gone. :)
Toll House Pie
1 deep dish pie shell (unbaked)
2 large eggs
1/2 c flour
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar (or 1/2 c white sugar + 1 Tbsp molasses)
3/4 c shortening, coconut oil, or clarified butter
1 c df/sf chocolate chips (I buy safe mini chocolate chips in bulk)
1 c chopped nuts
Beat eggs in a large bowl on high until foamy. Beat in flour and both sugars, then beat in shortening. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. It will look like very, very soft cookie dough! Spread in the deep dish pie shell and bake at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes, until a knife inserted halfway between the edge and the middle comes out clean. Cool before slicing. Serve slices warm with whipped coconut cream or safe ice cream.
Toll House Pie
1 deep dish pie shell (unbaked)
2 large eggs
1/2 c flour
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar (or 1/2 c white sugar + 1 Tbsp molasses)
3/4 c shortening, coconut oil, or clarified butter
1 c df/sf chocolate chips (I buy safe mini chocolate chips in bulk)
1 c chopped nuts
Beat eggs in a large bowl on high until foamy. Beat in flour and both sugars, then beat in shortening. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. It will look like very, very soft cookie dough! Spread in the deep dish pie shell and bake at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes, until a knife inserted halfway between the edge and the middle comes out clean. Cool before slicing. Serve slices warm with whipped coconut cream or safe ice cream.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
It's April!
I have had such a hard time making good beef gravy since I stopped using packet mixes. I usually don't have time to make roast beef, and even when I did, it wasn't that fabulous...until this time!
I took a 3.5 lb beef roast, sprinkled it with salt and pepper, rubbed some mustard powder on it, then brushed it with a little Worcestershire (check to make sure it's df/sf), then rubbed it down with a healthy amount of browning sauce. It was magic! When the roast was done (after letting it rest), I made a roux with some grease from the pan drippings (fortified with a little canola oil...my roast didn't have a whole lot of fat), letting the roux brown until it smelled nutty. Stirred in the drippings and some beef broth (made with Better than Bouillon beef soup base (check to make sure it's the df/sf variety). It was heavenly!
Oh, and our Easter dinner was roast beef and gravy (obviously), mashed potatoes, roasted asparagus, honeyed ginger carrots, deviled eggs, and rolls (and orange rolls...but those weren't df/sf). It was a wonderful Easter dinner!
I took a 3.5 lb beef roast, sprinkled it with salt and pepper, rubbed some mustard powder on it, then brushed it with a little Worcestershire (check to make sure it's df/sf), then rubbed it down with a healthy amount of browning sauce. It was magic! When the roast was done (after letting it rest), I made a roux with some grease from the pan drippings (fortified with a little canola oil...my roast didn't have a whole lot of fat), letting the roux brown until it smelled nutty. Stirred in the drippings and some beef broth (made with Better than Bouillon beef soup base (check to make sure it's the df/sf variety). It was heavenly!
Oh, and our Easter dinner was roast beef and gravy (obviously), mashed potatoes, roasted asparagus, honeyed ginger carrots, deviled eggs, and rolls (and orange rolls...but those weren't df/sf). It was a wonderful Easter dinner!
Sunday, January 29, 2012
New Potatoes and Peas
This is one of my son's favorite dishes! Grandma makes it every time we come visit.
Steam some new potatoes with some freshly shelled peas (if you can get them. If not, diced regular potatoes and frozen peas are good too!).
In a saucepan, melt 2 Tbsp of either MSPI safe margarine or clarified butter (ghee) for each 2 cups of sauce you want to wind up with. Add an equal measure of flour to the hot, melted margarine/clarified butter and stir for a minute or two. You don't want to color the roux, just cook the raw taste off the flour. Add 1 1/2 cups rice milk for each 2 Tbsp of margarine/clarified butter used, stirring constantly until it comes to a boil and thickens. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup MSPI safe coffee creamer (gives it that nice creamy taste). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sauce will be a little thin. That's OK...the potatoes will help thicken it up a bit. Pour the sauce over the steamed potatoes & peas, stirring to coat. Add a little more salt and pepper, if needed.
Steam some new potatoes with some freshly shelled peas (if you can get them. If not, diced regular potatoes and frozen peas are good too!).
In a saucepan, melt 2 Tbsp of either MSPI safe margarine or clarified butter (ghee) for each 2 cups of sauce you want to wind up with. Add an equal measure of flour to the hot, melted margarine/clarified butter and stir for a minute or two. You don't want to color the roux, just cook the raw taste off the flour. Add 1 1/2 cups rice milk for each 2 Tbsp of margarine/clarified butter used, stirring constantly until it comes to a boil and thickens. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup MSPI safe coffee creamer (gives it that nice creamy taste). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sauce will be a little thin. That's OK...the potatoes will help thicken it up a bit. Pour the sauce over the steamed potatoes & peas, stirring to coat. Add a little more salt and pepper, if needed.
Raspberry Chocolate Muffins
4 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
12 oz fresh raspberries
3 to 4 oz MSPI safe dark chocolate, grated
1.5 cups rice milk
2/3 cup oil
2 eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add raspberries and grated chocolate and toss to coat with flour mixture. In a separate bowl combine the rice milk, oil and eggs, whisking until thoroughly combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then add the wet ingredients all at once. Mix the dry into the wet, JUST until the dry ingredients are wet (no more than 12 to 15 strokes). Batter will be very lumpy! Scoop into jumbo size muffin liners (makes 20 jumbo muffins) or into regular size muffin liners (have no idea how many it would make...more than 20!). Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out cleanly. These freeze nicely!
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
12 oz fresh raspberries
3 to 4 oz MSPI safe dark chocolate, grated
1.5 cups rice milk
2/3 cup oil
2 eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add raspberries and grated chocolate and toss to coat with flour mixture. In a separate bowl combine the rice milk, oil and eggs, whisking until thoroughly combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then add the wet ingredients all at once. Mix the dry into the wet, JUST until the dry ingredients are wet (no more than 12 to 15 strokes). Batter will be very lumpy! Scoop into jumbo size muffin liners (makes 20 jumbo muffins) or into regular size muffin liners (have no idea how many it would make...more than 20!). Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out cleanly. These freeze nicely!
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